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Serbia and Montenegro: Report and request from Women in Black, Belgrade

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Women in Black, Belgrade

On 6th April, Women in Black together with citizens of Serbia, protested under the slogan "Not in our name, not with our money."

The protest was against the passing of the Law regarding the rights of those accused war criminals before the Hague Tribunal and members of their families.

With this protest we wished to show that the passing of this law signifies the non-acknowledgement and relativization of crimes committed by Milosevic and his collaborators during the decade of his government's rule.

With this protest we also marked the twelve-year anniversary of the beginning of aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the tragic crimes which were committed by all sides, but in highest measure by the one claiming to be fighting for Serbian interests. These are the same people for whom we now, with this new law, must pay defense expenses.

Following the protest, two of Women in Black's activists, Boban Stojanovic and Radojica Buncic, were attacked by four unknown persons. The attackers struck them with their arms and legs, saying "Leave Serbia", "faggots", "You are against Serbs", "Go to Croatia" and various phrases, which were similar to the insults that could be heard during the attack against Belgrade's mosque on March 17th. The police arrived and conducted an investigation, after which the two activists were taken to the emergency room. After being examined their injuries were determined to be non-critical, the two were released, and they are now physically well.

The increasing strength of the clerical right-wing that is represented by the members of football fan clubs and organizations such as "Obraz" that encourage religious and ethnic hate and violence against everyone who thinks and acts differently is a serious sign of the increasing fascism in Serbia. This tendency is directly connected with the nonexistence of political will in this government to clearly distance itself from the government and ideological regime of Slobodan Milosevic.

Therefore, we will continue to strive for the timely extradition of every accused war criminal, and we will continue to be in opposition to the non-acknowledgement and relativization of crime. Beginning on Saturday, April 10th, citizens across Serbia will collect signatures for the initiative "Not in Our Name"; for the passing of a new law which will annul the current one regarding the rights of those accused war criminals before the Hague Tribunal and members of their families.

If you would like to support us in this initiative, please see below for a suggested letter written by member of our international network that you can send to the following government officials.

Dear [Ambassador ---; Mr/Ms ___ (consul general); President ___; or To Whom it May Concern ]

We wholeheartedly support the civil society of Serbia who demonstrated in Belgrade on April 6th, calling for the repeal of the recent legislation passed by the Serbian parliament that provides Serb war crimes suspects in The Hague with the right to apply for financial aid from the state for their defense and families' travel expenses.

For your information, we include here the complete text of Women in Black, Belgrade's public statement against this legislation. We hope you will alert the Foreign Minister of your country and the leaders in the Serbian parliament that this act by elected representatives to provide funds to support accused war criminals' defense with tax monies is acquiring a very high public profile and is internationally opposed.

Here is the text of Women in Black, Belgrade's statement:

Public Announcement

On the occasion of the law regarding the rights of those accused before the Hague Tribunal and members of their families

The citizens of Serbia are once again humiliated. Yesterday, the National Parliament of Serbia decided that it is obligatory to pay the defense expenses of the accused war criminals now before the Hague Tribunal, as well as the telephone bills and travel expenses of their families.

Workers, officers, professors and doctors, who, thanks to the destructive political regime of Slobodan Milosevic survived a decade of inflation and scarcity, now have to pay the telephone bills of Mirjana Markovic. Mothers of dead soldiers, those who died in some of the wars instigated by Milosevic, Seselj, and other false patriots, now have to pay the travel expenses of Marko Milosevic, the famous hero from Pozarevac who proved his bravery by beating the town's citizens.

In this humiliation, there is something more tragic: it became clear that the improvised parliamentary majority based yesterday's humiliation of Serbia on the non-acknowledgement and relativization of crimes committed by Milosevic and his collaborators during the decade of his government's rule. The victims of crime, however, were not only citizens of Serbia, but-in higher measure-also citizens of neighboring countries, who personally experienced Milosevic's version of Serbian heroism.

The time has arrived to remember one tragic date: On April 6th of this year, it will be twelve years since the beginning of the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, marked by tragic crimes which were committed by every side (but in highest measure by the one claiming to be fighting for Serbian interests). One of those most responsible for the war in BiH, Slobodan Milosevic, experienced this satisfaction: the civilians of the country which his war adventures shamed, disgraced, and contaminated, in the future will have to pay dues to his family. His collaborators and followers who were involved in horrible crimes definitely promote themselves as war heroes.

Democratic and civil Serbia is shamed, and sends this notice to lawmakers: there is no such history that will set right your shameful act of March 30th, 2004. We will still strive for the timely extradition of every accused war criminal. And we will still be in opposition to the non-acknowledgement and relativization of crimes.